Why We Fall
by Kross Kings
Summary: Yet another revival of one of Bonesboy15's unfinished works: AU. There are many stories of heroes and villains, of magic and mayhem, of monsters and princesses. So why not throw in one more? A hero fed up with heroing tries his hooves at the simple life. Yes. Hooves. Pairing Undecided. Rating liable to change.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: The Kross Kings do not own Naruto or My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic**

 **Why We Fall**

 **1: And So The Story Begins**

* * *

The peaceful land of Equestria, a land dominated by equine and other quadrupeds. It was a quaint place, where the three species of equine, or ponies as they called themselves, lived in harmony.

Unicorns, equine granted a solitary horn that protruded from their head, were granted talent with magic. They used their magic to make their lives, and the lives of the ponies around them, easier. Unicorns were more prone to be haughty and assured in their worth, and thus most lived their lives in higher circles, but there were a few exceptions, those who preferred the simpler life of a small town.

Pegasi, the plural form of a Pegasus, were ponies with feathered wings that normally matched the coloration of their coats. They had a unique magic that allowed them to make clouds and weather alike fall under their control. Pegasi often flew from one place to the next, acting as transport for mail or ponies alike, or they primarily used their talents with cloud manipulation to craft a set schedule for the weather.

Then, finally, there were the 'regular' ponies, those without any extra limbs or forehead accessories. These equine were dubbed "Earth" Ponies, due to being 'limited' to the ground. However, even though they lacked flight and excessive skill in magic, they were just as, if not more, important as the two other species. Most Earth ponies were granted immense strength, speed and stamina, and, true to their name, were more in tune with the earth around them. They were excellent farmers, able to work the soil, the fields, the bushes and the trees far better than their brethren.

However, not all Earth Ponies were farmers. Some worked simple shops, some were high class, some were tax collectors, but there was a small sect of mares and stallions who swore to protect Equestria's borders from threats beyond the land.

These were the Ponies of the Stonehenge, the strong, silent and mysterious guardians of Equestria. The Stonehenge Ponies were once regular Earth ponies, but time away from ritualistic lifestyles of peace had caused these equine to develop unique traits and abilities. Soon enough, the distance between Stonehenge and the rest of Equestria led the warrior breed to fall into tomes of legends. The secret protectors became the shadows they embraced, lost to a world of magic, now nothing more than mere myths.

That is, until today.

* * *

Hooves clacked along the dirt road towards the nearby town.

A crayola orange-coat shimmered in mid-morning sun while a shaggy mane and matching tail of wheat gold shifted back and forth with each motion of powerful legs. The legs belonged to a stallion, whose eyes, a cerulean blue, had bags beneath them, as if he'd not slept well for quite some time. The sun was kept out of his exhausted eyes by a navy band that was wrapped around his head. The had a metal plate sewn into it, and carve into the plate was a spiral that gradually turned into a leaf. A muted rumble made the stallion stop and look down at his stomach.

"Yeah, I'm hungry, too. Thanks for the reminder." The gruff, but young voice said to his protesting organ. He was tired, hungry and nearly his last legs. His navy saddlebags, each marked with an orange triskelion, just like the black one that adorned his flank, hung over the sides of his growling stomach and concealed it from view. Unfortunately, they did little for the noise it made.

With the notion of food in mind, the stallion began to pick up some speed as he strolled into a town. He paused momentarily as he looked at the sign outside the town, which read simply: Welcome to Ponyville!

"Ponyville. Hm, that's kind of an odd name." The stallion tilted his head to the side and squinted his eyes.

He lost interest with sign and looked towards the bustling little town that seemed to be full of life and cheer. The sight made him smile, and his smile stretched the whisker-like marks that blessed his face.

 _So much better than...home._ The stallion shook his head quickly and looked around as he slowly began to walk through the town. He needed to find a place where he could get some food. He trotted over to a grey coated mare wearing a bowtie and tapped her shoulder. "S'cuse me, miss, d'you know where I can get some lunch?"

The sophisticated mare looked at him curiously, unable to recognize him. The stallion expected this to happen, it was bound to in a small town like this. Finally, after she seemed to register his question she smiled politely back at him.

"Oh yes, the café is actually right down the main street and to the left. You shan't miss it." The pony instructed and pointed towards the building in question.

"Thanks!" He was about to leave, but paused before he turned back to the nice mare with a sheepish smile on his face. "Sorry, I forgot to ask your name. I'm Naruto."

"Octavia. Welcome to Ponyville, Mr. Naruto." The mare, Octavia, smiled a bit more genuinely. Then, as if it knew when a friendship was either going to begin or not, Naruto's stomach let out a deep rumble.

"I...apologise. It has a mind of its own, I swear." Naruto flushed. He felt more than a little embarrassed. Octavia merely giggled and trotted off. After he waved a hoof to her in gratitude and farewell, Naruto looked down and glared at his stomach. "You have the _worst_ timing in history. Nice going."

All he received in response was another, unapologetic and far more demanding rumble.

 _And she was pretty cute, too._ Naruto thought somberly and headed towards the direction he had been given. Oh well, at least he was going to get one of his primary needs fulfilled today.

* * *

"Ah, that's exactly what I needed." Naruto sighed out as he walked out of the quaint cafe. He may have overdone it on the dandelion pizza, but at least his stomach would be quiet for a good while now. It wasn't as good as ramen, but a close second. "Now, maybe I can score a bed for the night somewhere. There's gotta be a hotel or something in this town considering it's proximity to Canterlot."

Naruto's musings were suddenly interrupted by a frantic shout of, "Incoming!"

A moment later and he found himself sprawled along the ground with the mass of another pony atop of him. Naruto groaned in pain before he shoved the pony off of his body. Once got himself back on his hooves and fixed his jostled headband, Naruto gave a stink eye to the smart stallion that decided to use him as a landing pad.

Magenta eyes blinked up at him - Naruto felt childishly smug being taller than average - and a sheepish laugh escaped the mare. She had a long rainbow-colored mane and tail that surprisingly contrasted well with her cyan coat. On her flank was a lightning bolt that was nearly identical in color to her mane.

"That hurt." Naruto simply stated. Not really, he could take some punishment. But still, the mare was super rude by _crashing_ into him. She rose to her hooves, just a half-head shy of reaching his height, the mare laughed awkwardly.

"Sorry bout that buddy," she said with a smile. "Was working on a trick, but it sort of misfired when it came to the landing."

"Misfired...yeah, it misfired all right. All over my back." Naruto realized what he said and silently prayed to the Alicorn of the Sun that the words would fly over the mare's head.

"Yeah... Sorry, didn't mean to hit you with all of my awesome." The mare shrugged. Well, at least she didn't catch the potential innuendo bomb he dropped. Naruto's nostrils flared a little once he realized what she said. The pegasus obviously didn't care for his potential injuries.

"Oh, yeah, it's okay," he said. _I only heard a little crack in my spine is all._ Naruto was still new in town, so there was no reason to create an issue. "No problem, Miss...?"

"Rainbow Dash!" The mare answered a large smile. She closed her eyes and posed on her hind legs. "Soon to be member of the Wonderbolts."

"...Really? Lovely." He returned with a drawl. He shook his head and tried to reign in his temper. "Naruto."

"Hm, weird name." Naruto's eye twitched at her evaluation. He blinked when Rainbow Dash poked him in the snout. "You've really got to learn to watch where you're going buddy. Seriously, I would have landed that trick if you moved a smidge to the left when I shouted."

...Oh, she did not just imply that this was his fault. With another twitch of his eye, Naruto said, "Well, maybe if you were a better flyer, you wouldn't have _landed_ on another pony."

Silence filled the air. Ponies that were walking by stopped and turned to the two. Pegasi poked their heads over the edges of clouds. One primarily pink pony with a darker pink mane poked her head out from the bushes she planned to jump out of, her eyes wide.

"Oh snap!" the pink pony exclaimed. She cupped her hooves around her mouth. "Somepony just called out Rainbow Dash! Everybody, to the shelters!"

A good portion of the observers followed the pink pony's lead.

"Would you like to repeat that?" Rainbow Dash asked while she got right into Naruto's face. The orange stallion's eyes narrowed. Oh, did he hit a nerve? Well, then it was time to hit it again. Perhaps it was a bit childish, but this mare was asking for it.

"Did I stutter?" Naruto asked as their foreheads pressed against each other. "Or are your ears still jammed up by the clouds?"

"...Are you calling me-?" Rainbow Dash grit out.

"A slowpoke airhead? Maybe I am," Naruto said. He grinned. "What are you gonna do about it?"

"It. Is. On." The rainbow-maned mare narrowed her eyes and jabbed him in the chest with her hoof. "You. Me. Race. _Now_."

Naruto smirked. "Really? I wouldn't want to bruise your shallow ego."

"My ego is anything but shallow!" Rainbow Dash growled.

"Hmm..." Naruto pulled away and tapped his hoof on his chin while he thought. "I _could_ use an after lunch work out."

"I'll do more than give you a workout, buddy." Rainbow Dash smirked. "What'd you got to say to that?"

"Just six words." Naruto craned his head down to smile at her eye level. "Get ready to eat my dust."

* * *

Both Ponies stood behind a line drawn in the ground. Rainbow Dash scraped at the dirt with her hoof and steam snorted from her nostrils. She was more than ready to race; her hindquarters were up, her legs were bent, and her wings flared out.

Naruto just stood behind the line, calm and relaxed. His tail swished from one side to the next, each time the tip of his tail got a little closer to a small ring that stuck out of one of his saddlebags. The fact he still wore them irked the rainbow themed pony.

"Are you getting ready for tea or a race?" Rainbow Dash asked with a scowl.

"If I had to be honest, I could go either way right now." Naruto

A brown stallion with an hourglass on his flank held up a race flag. "Racers! On your marks!"

Rainbow Dash's body coiled and her wings raised slightly. Naruto's tail slipped into the ring that stuck out of his right saddlebag.

"Get set!"

The mare's nostrils flared as she beat her wings a few times. Naruto subtly pulled a small object from his bag and spun it around lazily.

"Go!"

Rainbow Dash shot off of towards her goal at a decently average speed. She was going to put this smug stallion in his place, she was going to show him he wasn't even close to be as fast as her 'slow' setting. An object zipped past her as she sped towards Sugar Cube Corner, but she paid it no mind. A grin crossed her face when she realized that the stallion hadn't started to move. She was going to win so easily, the stallion hadn't even started to trot yet!

She skidded across the finish line on her landing and she let out a laugh.

"Ha! Take _that_ blondie!" Rainbow Dash smirked and looked over at the starting line. She frowned and blinked a few times. She was sure that she hadn't heard him start to run.

"Take what?" The new stallion's voice asked from behind her. Rainbow Dash turned around to see him spinning what looked like a fancy knife by a ring with his tail while he leaned against Sugar Cube Corner. "Man, you took your sweet time."

"What? How? When? Huh?" Rainbow Dash's mind tried to compute what happened as she kept looking back and forth between where the stallion was now and where he had been. She left him in the dust! She was sure of it!

"Maybe if you were a little faster you would've been able to win," Naruto said simply. He tossed the knife up and tilted his flank so that it would land ringed-end first into his right saddlebag. Rainbow Dash grumbled and her magenta eyes narrowed while she gave him a keen once over. The stare unnerved Naruto and he arched a brow.

"Can I help you?" Naruto asked as the pegasus began to invade his personal space. He twisted away from Rainbow Dash before she could poke him in the side. "Hey!"

"How did you do that?" The pegasus asked firmly.

"Do what? Win?"

"Yes!"

"Well, I guess it's only fair to tell you." Naruto muttered as he looked around. Ponies had gone back to doing their daily business with the excitement of a race over. He leaned in and covered the side of his mouth with his hoof. Rainbow Dash leaned in eagerly, her ear twitching in anticipation. "The way I won is...a secret."

Naruto snickered when the mare's face fell and she gave him an annoyed pout. His attention went to his saddlebags when he heard the sound of fabric ripping. He watched, wide eyed, as the left bag fell to the ground. The right bag soon followed.

"...Oh, come on!"

"Ha! Serves you right!"

"It was fine before you slammed into...me..." Naruto trailed off. The sound he heard wasn't his spine. Narrowed annoyed blue eyes glared into amused magenta. "You broke my saddlebags."

"What? No I didn't," Rainbow Dash said with a frown. "Maybe you just wore them out too much."

"I take care of my things, especially these, they were a gift from my...old friend." Naruto's voice softened and his eyes stared off into the distance.

Rainbow Dash's smile fell slightly. Suddenly feeling a little bad for his predicament, she gave his shoulder an awkward pat. "Hey, uh, buddy. I know a pony who can fix it up for you."

Naruto instantly perked up. "Really?"

"Yeah, come on," Rainbow Dash said with a jerk of her head. Naruto picked up the two parts in his saddlebags with his mouth.

* * *

Naruto looked at the Carousel Boutique, which really did look like a carousel, and how colorful it was. The sheer...frill of it all made him drop his saddlebags from his in shock.

"Wow, I can only wonder what kind of Pony works here." He mumbled.

Rainbow Dash leaned over to him. "Let me do the talking, Rarity can be a bit...Rarity."

"What does that mean?" Naruto asked, his brows furrowed together after he picked up his two saddlebags.

"Trust me, you don't want to know." The mare said as she trotted up and knocked her hoof against the door.

"Just a minute~!" A sophisticated voice sang out and a moment later the door opened to show a snow white unicorn with a styled purple mane and a trio of diamonds as her cutie mark. The mare's eyes lit u when they landed on the cyan pegasus. "Oh, Rainbow Dash! Come to finally try on a dress?"

"Please, you wish." The Pegasus snorted before she pointed her hoof at Naruto. "This guy needs some help, his saddlebags ripped to due certain unforeseen circumstances that can't really be blamed on anypony."

"You slammed into him after you tried another one of your silly tricks, didn't you?" Rarity asked with a smile. Rainbow Dash glared at Rarity, who ignored the look, sighed and looked to the tall stallion apologetically. "I apologize for Rainbow Dash, she can be quite...brash with new Ponies. I, on the other hoof, welcome you to Ponyville and, more importantly, to Carousel Boutique!"

 _Well, she's certainly nice._ Naruto thought with a small smile. He dropped his saddlebags again and ducked his head in a light bow. "Pleased to meet you, Miss Rarity."

Rainbow Dash gave him a dry look. "You certainly change your tune quickly."

"You used me as a landing pad, she didn't."

"I said 'Incoming'!" Rainbow Dash grumbled.

"Most likely at the last second." Rarity rolled her eyes. "That would certainly leave a sour impression."

"So, can you help him or what, Rare?" Rainbow Dash redirected quickly, looking a bit embarrassed.

With a dazzling smile, Rarity nodded. "Of course I can! If you could bring it along, I'll take a look at it and try to work my magic."

"So what's the standard fee for a repair job?" He asked curiously while he balanced the bags on his back. It would be rude and time consuming to keep dropping them just to speak.

"Oh, please, darling!" Rarity waved her hoof nonchalantly, a small smile on her face. "For such a small thing such as this, it's free of charge."

The stallion stood perplexed. "That's...very generous of you."

Rarity waved it off with a coy laugh. "Dear, it's a simply repair of the strap from what I see. Not even ten minutes for someone like me. It would be ever so rude to charge you on your first day in Ponyville."

"I really stand out, huh?" Naruto asked her.

"Well, this is a small town. Everypony knows each other, so it's obvious you're new here." The seamstress' horn lit up and levitated the saddlebags to rest on her work table. She leaned in and inspected the item, the strap especially. "Hm...My, what a sturdy material. It's certainly taken punishment from the elements and then some. I would assume you've travelled a lot with all these faded marks and the patch work on it."

More than slightly impressed by her skills of deduction, Naruto blinked. "Spot on."

"Oh, you've must have seen many things in your travels." Rarity looked excited as she placed her glasses on her nose and used her magic to summon a needle and thread. The needle seemed to move along the broken strap and stitched itself masterfully. The unicorn continued to talk as if she wasn't working. "Have you ever been to Canterlot?"

Memories flooded through the stallion's head and Naruto nodded. "A few times, yeah. Even met the Princess."

"Oh boy," Rainbow Dash said with a sigh. She propped her head up on her hoof and leaned against the work station. The pegasus gave the stallion a sour look. "Way to get her started."

"What?" Naruto asked.

"Oh, très magnifique!" The unicorn looked ready to swoon as she pressed her hooves together over her chest. "Oh, what I would give to go to Canterlot! The parties, the dresses, the ponies..."

"Uh...Miss? I think my bag's strap is done." Naruto stared at the intricate design that had been sewn into his saddlebags with more than mild surprise. It wasn't every day that the skyline of Canterlot was sewn into one of his things. Huh, it even had the rooftops shingled. Impressive.

"Equestria to Rarity!" Rainbow Dash broke the unicorn from her daydream. She pointed a hoof at the saddlebag. "Take a look at your 'work'."

Rarity did so and immediately became flustered. "Oh my!" she said, looking sheepish as she looked at Naruto, "I'm so sorry, my dear. I was lost in my own little world it seems."

"It's no problem, really." Naruto chuckled and reached for the bags, only for them to be lifted away by magic.

"Non! No, I mean, this, this is something I would do on one of my works," Rarity said, a flush on her cheeks. "I cannot allow you to take it when it clashes with the simplistic yet effective style that it has going for it."

"...Well, you are the expert." Naruto let out a light sigh. "How long will it take?"

"Oh, just a week. I swear."

"A _week_?!" Naruto repeated. Rainbow Dash snickered at his gaping maw. The stallion faltered. "It's fine, really-!"

"No! I insist, you'll have it in a week. No sooner and no later." Rarity promised as she set the bag off to the side. "I have other projects to work on and this is, it's simply embarrassing to let it back out into the world."

"Fine...I was planning to just stop in town for food." Naruto groaned and let his head thump against the tabletop. "Great, now where am I going to stay for a week? I can feel my bits flying away already…"

Rainbow Dash grinned as she placed a hoof on her chest. "No worries, Naruto, I've got you covered."

"You covering me did this in the first place." Naruto drawled. Rarity tittered at the way he phrased it while Rainbow Dash spluttered.

"Anyway!" The Pegasus cleared her throat and glared at the snickering unicorn before she gave Naruto her attention once more. "I got a few friends over at Sweet Apple Acres. They can hold you up with a room, but you'd have to be willing to get your hooves dirty."

"I don't know." Naruto hummed in thought. If it came down to it, he was okay with doing some physical labor in exchange for a place to stay, but he had a few bad experiences on a farm when he was a colt.

"Well, if you're in no hurry, might I suggest a small trim of your mane?" Rarity asked with a small smile. A pair of scissors and a comb floated up beside her as she stared at his shaggy, unkempt mane. "I'll offer you a good discount. The least I could do for you, darling."

"...Wait up, Dash!" However, no one was touching his mane. Naruto bolted out of the Boutique as fast as he could and soon fell in step with the cyan mare. She sent him a cheeky grin that made him frown a little.

"I knew you'd see it my way."

* * *

"I'm telling you, the Apples are, like, _super_ cool. My friend, Applejack, runs the farm with her family," Rainbow Dash said as she floated next to Naruto while he walked the long trail to the farmhouse.

"And you're sure they're not going to mind you dumping a random stranger on their doorstep?" The dubious stallion asked.

"Nah!" Rainbow Dash rolled onto her back and flew beside Naruto, waving her hoof through the air. "Like I said, they're totally cool."

"...You and I may have different definitions for the word 'cool'," Naruto said dryly.

"Hey, for your information, buddy, _I'm_ one of the coolest mares in Ponyville! I know what's cool." The mare huffed.

"Yeah, I'm sure."

That simple statement began a long, drawn out opinion-filled argument over what was and wasn't 'cool'. Thankfully, it kept them occupied during their trip, and before they knew it, the two ponies had made it to the farm. They approached a barn-like house, quaint and simple in design, something Naruto thought looked very comfortable.

Rainbow Dash landed on her hooves and knocked on the door. "Hey! AJ! You in?"

The door opened and were greeted with a bright smile by a little yellow earth filly. She had a deep red mane with a matching tail and a bright bow tied in it. "Rainbow Dash!"

"Sup, Applebloom. Is your sister around?" Rainbow asked, peeking her head into the house and looking around.

"Nope!" The filly shook her head. "She's off visiting one of our relatives, helpin' out with their chores on the farm cuz of a storm that caught them off guard."

Rainbow Dash leaned over to Naruto, "The Apple's family is humongously huge, she could be anywhere in Equestria right now."

Naruto gave the mare a confused look. "...Okay. I needed to know that because...?"

Rainbow Dash, ignoring Naruto's reaction (or lack thereof) to her words, refocused her attention on Applebloom. "So where's Big Mac? I got a part-timer here for you guys to hire if you can put him up for a few nights while he waits for his stuff to get fixed."

The little filly 'inspected' Naruto with squinted eyes. She looked him up and down for a brief moment before she put a hoof on the side of her mouth and whispered loudly to Rainbow Dash, "He don't look very bright."

" _He_ has ears." Naruto told the little filly sourly. His intelligence was always a target back home, and right now he wasn't in the mood to get the same treatment from a filly who'd barely lived half as long as he did. He craned his head down and met the filly's sheepish gaze evenly. "And _he_ doesn't like it when little fillies talk behind his back...especially when they do it right in front of him."

"Eh-he-he...Sorry, mister." Applebloom looked back at Rainbow Dash. "At least he uses more silly-ables than Big Mac."

"...'Silly-ables'?" Naruto repeated with a raised brow.

"She's still in school, cut her some slack." Rainbow Dash defended the young filly, who nodded in agreement, before she looked back down at Applebloom. "So, can you go get Big Mac?"

"Sure! He's just out back. I'll be back faster than you can say cranberry applesauce!" Applebloom said as she galloped into the house and hollered out for this 'Big Mac'.

"She's a little rude." Naruto mumbled.

"In her defense, you _do_ look like you rolled around in a desert." Rainbow Dash pointed out with a smirk.

"Hey, sand baths are very relaxing!" Naruto countered sternly. Her eyes continued to sparkle with amusement and the stallion pointedly looked away. "And there isn't exactly plumbing out on the road, so forgive me, _Princess_ Dash for my appearance."

"Meh, I'll try."

* * *

It was a few minutes later that Applebloom returned with a stallion just a tad taller than Naruto by a small margin. The stallion was a burgundy red and had a wheat stock in his mouth. Like Naruto, the stallion had a single accessory to make him stand out a little more than he already did, and that was a simple yuke that was settled around his neck.

 _...Well, I can now see why he's called 'Big' Mac._ Naruto thought, impressed with his fellow stallion's height. There were only a few back home that barely even passed Naruto's height.

"Hello, Rainbow Dash." The stallion greeted with a drawl. Naruto met a few ponies like the one before him, they seemed slow to those outside their social circles, but held an aura of wisdom to them. That and it was usually the really smart ones who knew how to work hard and lounge harder.

"Hey, Big Mac!" Rainbow Dash smiled, and nudged Naruto. The stallion gave her a bewildered look and she gestured back at the farmer. Naruto, still a bit lost, merely raised a brow. He sucked in a gasp when was kicked sharply in the hind leg, which made him stumble forward. The "This is Naruto, and he wants to know if he can work he for a week of food and board?"

"...I reckon that he's okay if'n you're vouchin' for 'im, Dash. Still, sis should be back in a day or so, she'd give the final say." Big Mac hummed and looked Naruto over keenly. "You ever apple buck before?"

"A few times." Naruto shrugged. Big Mac pointed to a nearby tree that had a few buckets under it. The implication of a test was understood immediately. One of his old teachers was the same way: show don't tell. Naruto trotted over to the tree. He looked it over, knocked his hoof against it a few times and nodded.

Then, unexpectedly, the orange stallion reared his head back and then slammed it hard into the tree bark.

Rainbow Dash wrapped her hooves around her gut and fell to the ground while Big Mac stared at the scene and Applebloom gaped. No pony was foolish enough to ever try headbutting one of the Apples' apple trees before. Well, if they were, they soon learned why that was a bad idea.

The orange-coated stallion turned around and whistled as he trotted back to the residence of Sweet Apple Acres. As soon as he did so, all of the apples fell off the tree and landed square in the buckets, not a fruit out of place. Naruto grinned at the dumbfounded expressions that crossed the ponies' faces.

"So," he began. "Did I get the job?"

Big Mac looked like he could've swallowed his wheat stock. "I-uh, yeah. Welcome aboard, Mister Root."

" _Naruto_." The orange stallion corrected.

"Like I said. Root." Big Mac repeated with a small gleam in his eye. Oh, he and Big Mac were going to get along _just_ fine. Naruto could already tell.

"That was so cool!" Applebloom squealed, jumping up and down. "How'd you do that, Mister Root?"

" _You_ have to call me 'Naruto'." Naruto informed the filly dryly. Applebloom giggled sheepishly.

"Er, right. Sorry, Mister Naruto."

A gentle smile replaced the dry look on his face. He patted the filly on the head, and in doing so flattened her bow.

"Don't mention it. Now, as to how I did it..." Naruto paused for effect before he looked at Rainbow Dash and smiled wryly. "Well, you could say I'm just _that_ awesome."

"Hey, just because you got lucky and won that _one_ race doesn't mean you're more awesome than me, buck-o." Rainbow Dash firmly interjected while Big Mac chuckled. The rainbow maned mare gave the stallions and filly a sour look when they smiled back at her. She huffed at their amusement and spread her wings. "Whatever, I'll see you around, Naruto. We'll have a rematch before the week's up!"

"I'll be here, I guess." He shrugged. Naruto, Big Mac and Applebloom waved goodbye while the Pegasus shot off, doing loops in the air and performing various other tricks.

"C'mon, you've to come n' meet Granny, Mister Naruto!" Applebloom said as she grabbed one of Naruto's hooves and pulled him inside. Big Mac smiled in amusement at his little sister while she chattered up at the new probationary field-hoof. The large stallion shook his head and shut the door behind him as he went to watch his sister introduce the new stallion to their grandfather.

It's like his grandmother always said: Things were never dull in Ponyville.

* * *

A few days later, the three members of the clan Apple had become accustomed to Naruto's presence. He was a great help to McIntosh, the farm had been producing as much product, if not a bit more, with the usual second pair of hooves to help. Currently, Naruto was pulling the plow back into the shed while Big Mac took a break near the water trough.

"Mighty fine job you've been doin' fer us, Root." Big Mac complimented the orange stallion as the hired-hoof closed the toolshed. They'd gotten a lot done that day and the sun was starting to fall.

"It's the least I could do." Naruto chuckled. He tilted his head to the side and sighed as his neck gave a small crack. A hoof lifted up and began to rub the sore muscles. "By Celestia's will, how are you still holding your head up with that rusted thing?"

"Ah got used to it 'fore it was rusted."

"That makes sense." Naruto chuckled. "Anything else you need done?"

"Naw, go shower the stank off. Tell Granny Smith that Ah'll be in soon enough," Big Mac said with a glance to the full apple buckets set off to the side.

Naruto discreetly sniffed his coat as he went back into the house. "I do not stink that bad...Do I?"

"Eeyup."

* * *

As the sun began to sink under the edge of the horizon for Ponyville, the evening found a lone orange coated earth pony on the approach to Sweet Apple Acres. A mare, to be precise, with a golden mane and tail, each bound together by a red band. A stetson hat sat on her head and three red apples adorned her flank. Draped over her back was a simple

Applejack yawned as she made her way home from the train station. It had been a long week helping out her cousin Apple Sherbet, but they got those apple trees all set for the coming season. Now, she could go home, rest a little and spend some time with her family. She just hoped that Big Mac didn't over do it while she was gone. Last time he overexerted himself it had taken a good two weeks before their profits balanced out.

She opened the door and let her saddlebag fall to the side.

"Ah'm home, everypony!" she hollered.

"Heya sis!" Lil' Applebloom rushed up to her with a hug, one that was readily returned.

"There's my baby sister." Applejack rubbed her cheek against Applebloom with a smile on her face. "So, where's Big Mac at?"

"Outside workin' the fields, last I saw. You made it just in time, Granny's got the skillet on!" The filly prattled in excitement.

"That's mighty good, Applebloom. Ah'm just going to hit the shower first. Travelin' by train for a good two days does that to ya." Applejack smiled as she rested her trusty hat on the hook in the kitchen and strolled towards the restroom. Applebloom smiled and trotted off to inform her grandmother and brother that their sister had returned.

As she approached her desired location, Applejack was hit by the scent of soap. Upon opening the door, she found herself nearly blinded by steam and her ears heard running water. Her green eyes squinted shut and she coughed at the overabundance of steam in the air, which elected a response.

"Applebloom! How many times do Mac and I have to tell you to knock before you come into the bathroom?!"

Applejack was certain that was definitely a male's voice that yelled at her. Her eyes cracked open and the mare felt her mouth go dry at what she saw. Water rushed down a coat a hue or so darker than her own, and beneath the fur coat were firm muscles that twitched gently with each subtle movement. Applejack's eyes began to thoroughly examine the strange body, roaming over a broad torso, powerful legs and briefly lingered on a strange cutie mark that adorned a toned flank. Then, the farming mare's mind caught up with the situation.

A drenched orange stallion she'd _never_ seen before was in her home. More specifically, it was an unknown stallion that was in _her_ bathroom. And, to get even _more_ specific, it was a stranger that was using _her_ shower.

So, she reacted accordingly.

She screamed.

It was shrill. It was loud. It was ear-shattering, if not window-shattering.

It was a stereotypical _mare's_ scream.

Frankly, a small part of Applejack was shocked that it came from her mouth.

The scream drew in the rest of the Apple family. The sight they found had Big Mac covering Applebloom's eyes and Granny Smith gaining a broad smile on her face.

The stallion looked at her, wincing blue meeting wide green. The stallion looked away to examine their surroundings, then to the rest of her family, and finally back at the very surprised mare.

"...You must be Applejack." All she could do was give a weak nod. The stallion cracked a small smile. "The name's Naruto. Nice to meet you."

* * *

 **Bonesboy15: So there it is! The revival you've all been wait-Okay** _ **some**_ **of you have been waiting for. Again, I'd like to remind you that I'm not a brony, so, really, all I've to go on is my memory of those first few eps, and what I've 'learned' from various fics.**

 **Engineer4Ever: Now, I have no hate for MLP, but I'm not a Brony either. Though I will admit that the shows tickle my fancy at some of the pop culture and references in it. Plus, it's got a freaking The Dude pony! And Weird Al starred in it, seriously, that's awesome.**

 **Bonesboy15: Weird Al does a lot of animation stuff. So, really, there's not much of a geek out for me there. However, The Dude will be brought in a lot sooner than you'd expect. Why? ...The Dude abides.**

 **Engineer4Ever: You watch Pinkie Pride then you tell me it wasn't awesome with Weird Al, that goof off was classic...and the only one I've ever seen.**

 **Bonesboy15: Can't beat Weird Al as Isaac Newton. ERB FTW.**

 **Kross Kings: Now, you know what we want you to do.**

 **REVIEW!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: The Kross Kings do not own Naruto or My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic**

 **Why We Fall**

 **2: Apples, Diamonds and Pinkie, Oh My!**

* * *

Moments later, with everyone gathered around the table, Applejack looked at her family.

"So, which of y'all would like to tell me the hay is going on here?!"

"AJ, meet our new farm-hoof," Granny Smith said with a smile to the family's guest. "He was recommended by your little friend Rainbow Dash."

Applejack raised a brow. "He knows Rainbow Dash?"

"Eeyup," Big Mac said with a smirk. "Intimately."

"Shut up, Mac." Naruto hissed while Applejack's cheeks flushed. The orange stallion looked at the 'head' of the house. "Don't listen to him. Dash crashed into me. That's all."

"...Bout to say that seemed a bit unlike her to, uh, ...But anyway, yeah, that sounds like Dash." Applejack said with a nod. She fixed a small look on her brother. "Doesn't tell me why he's here."

"Mister Naruto's saddlebag broke. It's gettin' fixed up by Rarity," Applebloom said. She smiled at her sister. "He's been stayin' here n' helpin' us in return for a place t' sleep 'til it's all fixed up."

"Really?" Applejack asked, her eyes still averted from her fellow orange coated pony.

"...Can I go finish my shower yet or...?"

"You can wait a bit longer." Granny Smith chided. The stallion sighed and propped his damp head on the table while he poked at the steamed carrot set before him. Granny smith then glanced at her flushing granddaughter with a small smirk on her face. She leaned over and whispered into her granddaughter's ear. "Don't think I don't know what you're thinkin', AJ."

"Wha-! Granny!" The atomic blush that spread across Applejack's face made her grandmother laugh.

"It's alright now, sugarcube," the old mare gave her a wink. "Granny's thinkin' it, too. This 'n reminds Granny of your Grampa Smith."

Applejack looked ready to faint, barf, or perform a bizarre mixture of both upon being given _that_ disturbing thought.

"Anyways," Big Mac cut in, unknowingly getting Applejack's endless gratitude for drawing her attention _away_ from their grandmother. "Root apple bucks like a pro, Sis. We've got nearly double our regular product than with just my usual output."

The cow-mare paused and gave Naruto a once over - and not in the way Granny Smith meant! He was certainly built strong, that was for sure, but he seemed to be built a bit more lean than muscular like Big Mac. Her eyes must've lingered a bit because a cough from Granny Smith snapped her attention back to the table. A smirk on Granny Smith's face made Applejack's cheeks burn again.

"That's mighty praise from you, Mac." Applejack mused as she forced down the small blush on her face. "Still, Ah think we best give Rarity a lil' nudge, she can be a bit absent minded at times. We'll give her a push after Ah get some shut eye."

"Right," Naruto nodded in agreement. "Uh, as for my shower?"

Applejack groaned and flushed at the memories that his question brought forth. "Yeah, but make it quick, partner."

"Thank you!" Naruto beamed and bolted for the bathroom.

"So," Granny Smith asked. "What'd you like best?"

" _Granny_!" Applejack flushed again. "C'mon, is now really the time for that?!"

"She's right, Granny Smith." Big Mac nodded. Applejack's gratitude towards her brother vanished with his next words. "Least wait 'til we put 'Bloom to bed 'fore you grill AJ."

"What are you guys talkin' bout?" Applebloom asked with a frown as she looked up from her dinner.

"Never you mind, Sugarcube." Granny Smith smiled at the youngest Apple in the house. "Eat up, now. You've class in the morning."

"Yes, Granny Smith..."

* * *

With the shower incident (hopefully) behind them, Naruto and Applejack headed out the next morning into Ponyville. As the orange colored ponies made their way to the Carousel Boutique, the two made idle conversation.

"So... Mac told me you travelled a lot before you came to Ponyville. Where've ya been?" Applejack asked curiously.

"Oh, you know. A little here, little there. Been to Yakyakistan once. Very cold." Naruto answered. And illegal, since Yakyakistan had yet to open its borders to Equestria once more. He then fell victim to a scowl. "Then there was this one time I stumbled across a dragon migration. Bunch of juvenile jerks that needed some good ole fashioned hoof-to-jaw therapy."

"You've fought dragons?" Applejack asked incredulously.

"I _beat_ dragons." Naruto corrected. Well, at least the ones that were just barely larger than he was. He wasn't going to stupidly tango with the elder dragons. ...Well, not after the last time he tried when he was a colt. ...He was not much of a bright colt.

"Ah see." The doubt was clear in her voice, but Naruto let it go. It was definitely a 'You had to be there' sort of thing. A moment of silence filled them again, something Naruto was comfortable with, since he'd become accustomed to it on his journeys.

"So where you from?" Applejack pried.

"...Near the border of Equestria. It's a small village that isn't even on a map. Nothin' worth mentioning," Naruto said after a moment. He was careful to avoid specifying _which_ border.

"Really now?" Applejack asked dubiously. His pause had struck a chord with Applejack, one that sounded very off key. Blue eyes drifted down to meet her gaze.

"You're a very curious mare."

"Ah've been told that a good host should get to know their guests," Applejack said, her scrutinous gaze locked on the orange stallion. "And we Apples are nothin' if not good hosts."

"Eyup." Naruto drawled playfully.

"...Ah admit, you picked that up faster than ah thought you would."

"I live to learn."

"Oh, ah'm sure." Applejack said as she saw that they were coming up on Rarity's place. "Well, let's see 'bout that bag of yours."

"After you," Naruto said, gesturing with his hoof. The last time he came to pester Rarity he almost wound up becoming the unicorn's personal styling manequine. Those scissors got too close to his mane for his liking. He liked his mane the way it was, thank you very much!

Even if it was a so-called rat's nest.

Applejack shook her head and walked into the boutique. With keen eyes, she spotted the white unicorn, who seemed to be deep in thought. Applejack wondered what her friend would be so deep in thought about as she walked up to the mare and gently jostled her by placing a hoof on Rarity's shoulder.

"Uh, Rarity? You alright in there?" Applejack asked. Her voice made the the sophisticated mare jump in alarm as she was startled out of her thinking process.

"Ahh! Oh, Applejack, dear, don't do that!" Rarity said with a frown while the farm mare snickered.

"Sorry." Applejack smiled. She rubbed the back of her neck with her hoof. "So, Ah was wondering if ya managed t' finish that stallion's bag yet?"

"Hm?" Rarity asked. "Which stallion?"

"...The _new_ stallion." Applejack drawled slowly, a brow raised. Rarity wasn't normally this absent minded, especially when Applejack takes the time to come visit, which in itself was a rarity for Rarity.

If Applejack wasn't alarmed before, she was when Rarity flushed lightly. "Ah, yes, him, well...To be quite honest with you, Applejack, I've been unable to find time to work on it."

"...Rarity, Ah reckon you might be lyin' t' me." Applejack frowned. The unicorn recoiled from her in shock.

"W-What?" Rarity sputtered for a moment. She recollected herself, waved a hoof at the farmer and let out a scoff. "Oh, puh-lease! Applejack, there is no pony that is more professional than moi. Why, you can ask anyone of my clients-!"

"Oh, great." Applejack groaned and dropped her head into her hoof. "You've done it again...One glance and you're smitten like a filly, aren't ya?"

"...Smitten is so... _accusing_."

"That ain't a denial, Rarity." Applejack drawled. She rubbed her face while the unicorn flushed. "I swear, anytime a half-decent lookin' stallion comes into town…"

"Half-decent? Applejack, have you _seen_ this stallion?" Rarity sighed and her eyes drifted to stare at the wall.

"More than Ah'd have liked..." Applejack mumbled. She felt her cheeks heat up and glanced away from Rarity as the unicorn continued.

"He looks like he was _sculpted_ by diamonds," she said. Blue eyes glanced at the orange coated mare, a coy smile on her face. "And you know how I get around diamonds, dear."

"...Now ya just had t' go and make it weird," Applejack said as the heat in her cheeks swiftly disappeared.

"You say weird, I say fabulous."

"Can't ya just fix up his darn saddlebag?!" Applejack snapped.

"You are awfully touchy today." Rarity drawled, looking at Applejack. "Something happen?"

"No," Applejack said quickly. Rarity smirked and not for the first time, the farming mare cursed her honest nature. "Well, maybe...yeah…"

"And that is?" The unicorn fished eagerly. She smiled widely when Applejack fixed her with a glare. That was a sign that something _really_ interesting happened.

"It ain't none of your business."

"Oh, but now I must know!" Rarity pouted. "I have a need! A gossip need!"

"Well, you'll just have t' go without!" Applejack growled. "Just work on that bag!"

"But I'm busy!"

"No, ya ain't, ya fibber!"

"That is a scandalous accusation, hm!" Rarity sniffed and tossed her nose in the air. "I'm going to have to take a break to unwind from all this abuse on my character. Ta-ta!"

Applejack couldn't even get a word in before Rarity trotted past her and went outside where Naruto was. Applejack just barely heard the mare ask him if he'd join her for lunch. The stallion was completely blindsided by the question and faltered for words. Rarity did as she did best and pushed the guy into a corner, repeatedly asking him until he was forced to ultimately accept just so she'd leave him be.

"Why that prissy little whiner." The farm mare muttered, a scowl on her face. She stormed out of the boutique, intent on giving Rarity a piece of her mind. Applejack stood outside Carousel Boutique, her head turning this way and that in order to find the unicorn and her farm-hoof. While she did this, a streak of blue zoomed towards her, kicking up dust.

"Hey! My hat!" she cried out when Rainbow Dash landed next to her, wearing her hat. Rainbow Dash glanced up at the new accessory and then grinned at the earth pony.

"Howdy partner," She said, with a tip of the hat, doing her best to imitate the orange mare.

"Funny, Dash," Applejack said dryly. "Real funny. Ya got me up in stitches."

"Well aren't you a bundle of Celestia's Sunshine." Rainbow Dash mumbled before she tossed the hat back to the owner, who caught it with her tail and set it on her head. The pegasus smiled. "Welcome back, AJ! Pinkie's going to throw a party for you once she finds out."

"I was only gone a week." Applejack mumbled.

"This is Pinkie, remember?"

"Yeah, right." Applejack mumbled while she looked around. She frowned when she realised that she'd lost Rarity and Naruto. "Dang nabbit."

"What is it?"

"Ah lost Rarity and that new feller."

"New 'feller'? You mean Naruto?" Rainbow Dash arched a brow. Applejack nodded and then paused. She turned and gave Rainbow Dash a dirty look before she poked the Pegasus in the side.

"Ow! What? Mac says he's been doing wonders!" Rainbow Dash complained, "You should be thanking me for my insight!"

"Next time you want to offer up a hired-hoof for Sweet Apple Acres, you'd better clear it with me first." Applejack grumbled.

"I think the family can run the farm without you for one decision...or do they ask you when they get a glass of water?"

"Funny, very funny. Darn near gave myself a heart attack when I walked up and found some strange stallion in mah-Er, I mean, tell me first next time," Applejack said as she caught herself. She began to trot off in embarrassment, leaving a confused pegasus behind her.

"Wait, a stallion in where?" Rainbow Dash stared at the fleeing Earth Pony. Magenta eyes narrowed. "Oh, no you don't, AJ. Get back here and tell me what happened!"

Applejack broke into a gallop, kicking up a large dust cloud as she tore through the town in an effort to lose the cyan pony. Green eyes looked back and met with determined magenta.

"It weren't nothin' y'all need to worry about!" She hollered over her shoulder.

"You're not sweet-talking your way out of this one, _Sugarcube_!" Rainbow Dash returned as she sped up, a rainbow-colored trail manifesting behind her. They rounded a corner and nearly bowled over a small family of pegasi walking through the town, a gamboge filly watched her fly by in awe, before she was called on by her mother.

"It ain't none of your business, Rainbow Dash! Let it lie!"

"I'm making it my business, AJ!" Rainbow Dash shot back. "Now just stop and talk to me or I'm gonna tackle you! You can't outrun me, AJ!"

Applejack grimaced. Rainbow Dash was gaining on her. She could see Sweet Apple Acres in the distance. If she could hop the fence, she could lose the pegasus in the orchard. Unfortunately, Applejack underestimated just how fast Rainbow Dash was.

The cyan pegasus stayed true to her word and tackled the orange mare. They tumbled to a stop just outside Sweet Apple Acre's fenceline. Rainbow Dash sat smugly on Applejack's back, her forelegs crossed over her chest.

"Told you that you couldn't outrun me." The pegasus bragged. She leaned down and looked the apple farmer dead in the eye. "So, where did you find a stallion when you got home?"

Applejack just groaned. She blamed Rarity for this whole mess.

* * *

"Trust me darling, Sugar Cube Corner is one of the best sweet shops you'll ever find in Equestria!" Rarity said with a bright smile.

"I don't know," Naruto said doubtfully as the unicorn that was holding his saddlebags hostage tried to coerced him into a lunch. He thought Applejack was supposed to clear this whole mess up. How did he wind up being asked out to lunch? Pushing these thoughts to the side, Naruto continued his earlier thought. "I've been to a lot of places. I've had a lot of exotic sweets and treats."

"Yes, but did any of those places have a Pinkie?" Rarity asked, a coy smile on her face. Naruto looked at her with a raised brow.

"...A _what_?" he asked.

"Didn't think so." Rarity nodded smugly. She gave him a dazzling smile. "Take it from me, the Cakes give their sweets the perfect bezaz."

"Well, I do like a good bezaz." Naruto rubbed his chin with his hoof. "Almost as good as ramen…"

"Excellent, then off we go!"

With that, they walked into towards the sweets shop just around the corner. As soon as they entered, Naruto excused himself to the little colts room. When nature called, he answered - And no, he wasn't talking about pegasi. He was a wild stallion. Born free. No mare was going to tame him...while he was still this young anyway.

Naruto entered the bathroom while he whistled a small tune and went to a stall. He locked the door behind him with his tail and relaxed in the solitude that one could only have in a bathroom. Just as he was about to lift the seat, a head popped out of the hole.

"Hi!" A mare's voice escaped the pink coated pony. Her eyes were blue and her mane was a darker pink. A smile was on her face...as were a snorkel and goggles. Naruto's brain short circuited for a second before he finally reacted.

"Ahh! Toilet ninja!" Naruto cried out. He quickly backpedaled out of the stall, knocking down the locked door in the process.

"Ahh! Where?!" The pink mare asked as she jumped out of the toilet, perfectly dry, and stood beside him. She had her hooves up defensively and stood on her hind legs.

"You!" Naruto shouted and pointed a hoof at her.

"...I'm a ninja?!" The mare blinked, her eyes crossed as she tried to focus on the hoof pointed at her face.

"Yes...A _toilet_ ninja." Naruto frowned. "Whoa, déjà vu..."

"I'm a _toilet_ ninja?!"

"What are you doing in here? This is the stallion's room! You're a mare! ...And how did you even come out from _there_?" Naruto asked with a hiss. There were so many things wrong with the mare's choice of entry, but high among them was that it was _disgusting_. And he'd been eaten by a giant snake once, so he'd know. For the record, it was not a pleasant experience and he does not recommend it. Naruto shook the memory back to the depths of his mind and glared at the mare. "Who are you?!"

"Me? I'm Pinkie Pie! Nice to meet you!" The mare, Pinkie Pie, smiled at him. She then pursed her lips and narrowed her gaze. Pinkie Pie leaned closer to Naruto and sniffed him curiously. Then, she walked all around him, investigating him with furrowed brows. Next, she plucked one of his hairs and licked it, before she popped it in her mouth and chewed it. She spat the hair out and gasped in horror with her hooves pressed against her cheeks. One hoof pointed at him.

"By Celestia's big disco ball in the sky, I don't know who you are!" She exclaimed.

"I'm new...And that doesn't exactly tell me why you're in the stallion's restroom." Naruto drawled.

Pinkie ignored him and dove back into the toilet, nearly completely submerged if not for a giant clump of her poofy mane. A hoof popped out of the bowl and flushed it. It swirled around and waved at him once more before it disappeared into the recesses of the plumbing. Naruto stared at the toilet bowl, and slowly walked backwards out of the restroom. He no longer had to go, nature had packed its bags and ran the heck away.

"...Just pretend it never happened, Naruto. Repress. Repress." He kept telling himself that until he backed into the door. Then, he turned around and walked back out towards Rarity with a haunted look in his eye.

"What the heck is wrong with the ponies here?" Naruto mumbled to himself under his breath. "First Rainbow Dash and now that...Pinkie Pie -No! Repress! Repress. Repress. Repress."

Naruto closed his eyes as he mumbled the mantra. _Get ahold of yourself, Naruto. Those are only two of the_ many _pretty mares here. What are the odds that they're all crazy? You're just letting the Nara paranoia get to you._

"Are you okay, dear?" Rarity's voice made him open his eyes to meet her concerned ones.

"Repress." That didn't exactly help with the concerned look the unicorn was sending his way.

"What?"

"Oh! Hey, Rarity, sorry...Um, what was I doing?" he asked sheepishly.

"Going to the gentlecolts room?" Rarity said unsurely. Naruto's eyes went wide once more.

"Repress."

"What?"

"Nothing!" Naruto said quickly as he reverted to normal and gave the seamstress a smile. "So, about my bag..."

"Ah, ah, ah." Rarity smiled and led him over to one of the tables designed for two. "Always have some food before business, darling."

"...Fair enough," Naruto said as he sat down and hung his head slightly. He ordered a shake while Rarity asked politely for a Sundae.

"Hm, I wonder where Pinkie is? I could've sworn she was on shift today." Rarity hummed while looking around.

"Repress." Naruto stared at his menu and whispered to himself. "Repress."

"What was that?"

"Nothing! So, uh..." Naruto paused. _Okay, small talk. I can do this. At least she isn't smacking my head with her hoof, that's a good plus so far._

"How are the Apples treating you?" Rarity kindly started for him, a curious smile on her face.

"Oh, they're real nice. Mac's sort of quiet, but I learned to not ever let him fool you. He has a cruel sense of humor and a sharp wit behind that laid back drawl. Applebloom's a sweet little filly and Granny Smith is nice, if not a little weird."

"Granny Smith is weird?" Rarity asked, befuddled by the description.

"Well, she's always just kind of staring at me with a smile." Naruto paused here and furrowed his brow. He always felt unnerved by Granny Smith's smile when he caught her staring at him. It was like she was planning something. He shook it off and smiled. "...Anyway, I met Applejack last night. Wish that kind of went better. She walked right in when I was using the shower of all things. Really, what did Granny Smith teach her and Applebloom. I mean, _I_ was taught to knock before entering. But anyway, then she calls for a house meeting, because apparently she didn't get the memo-"

"Pause!" Rarity demanded, her blue eyes a fiery flame. "Applejack did what?"

"...Walked in on me while I was in the shower? I mean, she didn't _see_ anything. I like very hot showers." Naruto shrugged. "Steam made it hard to see who it was at first."

 _...And she has the gall to call_ moi _a silly filly! That sneaky little-oh! It. Is. On!_ Rarity thought determinedly while she was served her Sundae and Naruto was given his milkshake. Her horn lit up and she used telekinesis to lift the spoon to her mouth while she strategized around this development.

 _She does know I can see and hear her cackling deviously, right?_ Naruto wondered while he sipped his shake and watched the unicorn warily. _What the hay is wrong with mares in this town?_

* * *

"So, you just barged in like you own the place."

"Ah _do_ own the place!"

"No, you don't. Technically, Granny Smith does."

"Semantics!" Applejack snapped with a twitch in her brow. A snicker passed Rainbow Dash's lips.

"And…" Rainbow Dash stifled a snort and tried to restrain her smile. "And then you caught him like something out of one of Rarity's romance novels?"

"...Ah wouldn't exactly put it in those words." Applejack flushed. "But, uh, for lack of, uh, better description, yeah."

A beat of silence passed before Rainbow Dash burst into laughter. She wrapped her forelegs around her gut and she fell sideways to the ground. Applejack scowled at the pegasus, her cheeks burning, and looked away with a grunt.

"Aw, shut up."

Rainbow Dash either didn't hear her or didn't care. She simply continued to laugh for what felt like an eternity to Applejack, but in reality was only ten or so minutes. Fed up with the laughter at her expense, Applejack cuffed the cyan mare on the head, which earned her a yelp.

"Try to breathe, Sugarcube." The orange mare grumbled.

"S-Sorry," Rainbow Dash said with a small smile as she wiped a tear out of her eye. "Once Rarity finds out, she's going to go into one of _those_ moods again."

"That ain't gonna happen because she ain't _ever_ gonna find out," Applejack said sternly with narrowed eyes. Rainbow Dash lifted her hooves up defensively.

"Right, right, my lips are sealed." She promised with a motion that went with the words. Magenta eyes blinked and a smile crossed the pegasus' face again. "But what if Naruto tells her?"

"...Dang nabbit!" Applejack said as the horror dawned on her. She turned and ran back towards town. "That varmint better not!"

Rainbow Dash got back to her hooves and quickly flew after her. Once she was flying alongside her friend, the Pegasus grinned. "Ten bits says he already let it slip!"

"It _ain't_ funny, Dash!" Applejack snapped, her face ablaze.

"My funny bone begs to differ!"

"Well tell it to see a doctor!"

* * *

"That was a very good meal, a lot of bezaz," Naruto said as he and Rarity walked. He covered his mouth with his hoof and burped. He gave the unicorn an apologetic smile. "Pardon me. My stomach wanted to share its opinion."

Rarity giggled. "Well, I did try to tell you darling. You should have more faith in moi."

"I'll keep that in mind. So, shall I walk you home?" Naruto asked.

"Oh my, what manners!" Rarity smiled. "I'm a big girl, though. The offer is sweet, but unneeded."

"Fair enough," Naruto said with a chuckle. He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "To be honest, I'd probably get us lost. I haven't been in town all that much."

"Oh? Do the Apples keep you locked away?" Rarity asked, a small gleam in her eyes. Naruto missed it entirely, his gaze was already soaking in Ponyville's thriving marketplace.

"If by that you mean work me to the bone until I can barely walk into the house, then yes." Naruto hung his head slightly. _If only I didn't leave the Key in my saddlebag before I handed it over to Rarity. Then I wouldn't be so hindered by the restrictions. First thing I do when I get my bag back is turn them off_.

"You poor dear. Perhaps I should have a word or two with Big Mac before I get back to my own work." Rarity mused, though her intent was not to speak with the lone stallion of the farming family. The fashionista unicorn had a few choice words for the orange cowpony. Walking in on a stallion such as the one beside her and then having the nerve to call Rarity's admiration silly!

"Oh, you don't have to-"

"Non, it'd be rude of me to leave you to wander around aimlessly," Rarity said with a smile.

"Well...Alright. After all, who am I to complain for having to spend more time with a pretty mare?" Naruto asked with a small grin.

"Flatterer!" Rarity smiled, swatting his shoulder gently.

"I speak nothing but the tru-Oof!" Naruto was cut off as a cyan pegasus slammed into him. Once more on his back with the familiar rainbow colored mane in his face, the stallion could only snort steam out his snout. He'd quickly gained a twitch in his eye. "Rainbow Dash..."

"Heya, Naruto! How's it going?" Rainbow Dash asked with a grin on her face.

"You ran into me. Again." Naruto drawled. He blinked and grimaced. "I think you might've dislocated something."

"...At least I didn't ruin your saddlebags again."

"Get. Off. Me."

"Right." Rainbow Dash quickly hopped off the stallion and laughed sheepishly. Naruto got back to his hooves and glowered at the pegasus. Rainbow Dash just grinned at him. "Think of it this way, you must be a magnet for awesome."

"...Don't make me kick you to the other side of town." Naruto warned. "Because it wouldn't be the first time I did that to someone."

"There you are!" Applejack said as she skid to a stop right next to the three, her breathing haggard. Green eyes glared at her fellow orange coated pony. "Ah got a mighty big bone to pick with you, mister."

"Applejack!" Rarity frowned at the mare. "You shouldn't be so rude to him. Not after what you did to the poor dear this morning!"

Rainbow Dash looked at Applejack, "So, can I get those bits now or-?"

"Dash!" The rancher growled.

"Right, later, I'll hold you to it!"

Applejack looked at Rarity firmly, but the flushed cheeks didn't help intimidate her. "Nothin' happened, so stop weavin' them lil' dramas in your noggin 'fore you get the wrong idea."

"D-Dramas?!" Rarity cracked, her eyes narrowed. "You've gone too far!"

"Getting kinda dramatic there, Rare." Rainbow Dash muttered. Naruto just gave her a look. "What? Oh, c'mon, dude, I'm _not_ dramatic."

"Uh-huh, _sure_."

"Rainbow Dash, sweetie, shush." The fashionista said in a calm yet firm tone.

"Called it. I knew she'd get in one of _those_ moods after she found out what happened this morning."

"I said shush, Rainbow Dash!" "Rain, shut yer trap 'fore Ah do it for ya!" Rarity and Applejack snapped at the pegasus before they glared at each other. Lightning danced between their eyes.

"Um, maybe we should head back to the farm?" Naruto suggested. He backed away when the two mares glanced at him. Not wanting to become the focus of their ire, he added, "Or not. Whatever you gals want works for me."

"I'm up to go hang out at Sweet Apple Acres!" Rainbow Dash raised her hoof.

"Rainbow, my home ain't a hangout for you to laze about." Applejack said on reflex.

"Yeah, don't you have clouds for that?" Naruto asked, half-playfully and half-seriously. One of his old buddies back home used to watch pegasi with envy, being able to nap on clouds.

"Well duh, of course I do. But nothing beats a good nap right under an apple tree." Rainbow Dash said with utmost seriousness.

"...By Celestia, I think I found his long lost multicolored twin." Naruto mumbled in a mixture of shock, awe, disbelief and horror. _As long as she doesn't turn out to be a super genius, I think I'll survive._

Applejack sighed tiredly and dropped her glare-off with Rarity. "Forget it, Ah've been runnin round all day. Let's just head back home, Naruto."

"Not without me!"

"Rarity, not now!"

"I say now!" The white mare huffed. The two business owners argued back and forth while they made their way towards Sweet Apple Acres. Naruto looked at Rainbow Dash and nodded in the two mares' direction.

"Are they always like this?"

"Meh," The rainbow mare shrugged. "You get used to it."

* * *

"There! We're back, and Ah'm goin' _right_ to my room t' get some sleep. Ah got t' get back to work tomorrow," Applejack said as she walked up to the front door of the farmhouse and pushed it open.

"Well, that's fine. _I'll_ be here, keeping your guest company as a good hostess should. Tootles!" Rarity waved off the orange coated mare with her hoof.

"Uh, Rarity, you _do_ know that there's _two_ of us, right?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Hm? Oh, yes of-!" Rarity was cut off as the Apple's house suddenly illuminated brightly. It was so bright that Applejack stumbled out with her foreleg over her eyes.

"AHH! What in tarnation-!?" She cried out irritably. Naruto and Rainbow Dash hurried over to the cowpony's side and then helped her to her hooves. The lights dimmed and a familiar pink pony popped up in the doorway, with a good dozen other ponies behind her. The sight of her made Naruto's eyes dilate in apprehension and fear.

"SURPRISE!" Pinkie Pie cried out. "Welcome back Applejack and her new special somepony, Naruto!"

"...I knew it!" Rarity shouted, pointing an accusing hoof at Applejack. "This was your plan all along!"

"W-Wha?! Ahh! What's goin on?!" Applejack stammered, lost and confused outside her own home. She was grabbed by a foreleg and dragged inside. "Hey! What're-Pinkie Pie, leggo!"

"For she's a jolly sweet pony, for she's a jolly sweet pony, for she's a jolly sweet pony-y-y...That nopony can deny!" Pinkie Pie and the guests cheered. Rainbow Dash, not one to skip out on a good time, pushed Naruto in the house, forming two grooves in the ground when his legs refused to move, and Rarity followed right behind her.

"Repress. Repress. Repress." Naruto mumbled like a mantra.

"Dude, seriously, what's the big deal? ...Ohh." Rainbow Dash saw the banner that was hung in the Apple's living room. 'Welcome Home Apple-To!' it read, with streamers and balloons painted on it. Rainbow Dash tilted her head. "Apple-to?"

"I told you we should've gone with Naru-Jack!" A pony in the background declared.

"Everypony is a critic…" Pinkie Pie pouted. She shook it off and grinned. "Congrats, Applejack! I was so happy when I heard! No wonder I didn't see him before he came into the Sweet Shop Corner today!"

"Oh, you've got to be yankin' my tail…" Applejack mumbled as she took in the decorations.

"Congrats, Root. Welcome to the family," Big Mac said with an easygoing smile on his face and a mischievous gleam in his eye. He mosied on over and bumped shoulders with the blond maned stallion. Naruto merely continued to repeat his mantra under his breath.

"...You did this on purpose." Applejack accused her brother.

"Eeyup."

"...They won't find yer body."

"Worth it."

"Repress." Naruto droned out until Big Mac cuffed his head. The orange stallion put a hoof on his head and winced. "Ow! Mac! Did I do something to deserve that?!"

"Eeyup."

"What was it?"

Big Mac just glanced at his sister, who had a livid look on her face, before he looked back at Naruto with a small smirk. "Ignoring yer new 'sweetheart'."

"Ah'm gonna tan yer hide in the square, McIntosh Apple." Applejack growled as she stomped towards her brother with murder in her eye. Naruto took a good few steps away from the larger stallion. He knew that gleam and he the last thing he wanted was for it to be aimed at him.

"That's brilliant, Applejack!" Pinkie Pie cheered as she latched onto the orange coated mare's flank. "Conga, everypony!"

"Not now, Pinkie!" Applejack protested as she tried to advance on her brother and remove the party pony from her flank simultaneously.

"But Conga~!" Pinkie Pie sang out and pushed Applejack forward as ponies formed a chain behind her.

"Gr, Ah'll get ya fer this, McIntosh! Ah swear it on my hat!"

"A mighty fine hat it is…" Big Mac tilted his head thought and then shrugged. He waved a hoof at his sister. "Enjoy the conga, Sis."

"Mac, trust me when I say that you're poking the Ursa Major." Naruto told the red stallion. He watched Rainbow Dash pull Rarity into the conga line and shook his head. "Man, the mares here are crazy."

"Eeyup." Big Mac nodded in agreement. The two stallions were content to watch a begrudging Applejack lead a conga line before they called it a night.

* * *

 **Engineer4Ever: And there you have it, the ships have left the port, who you cheering for? Who will float, and who will sink! Only we know! Also, credit for Toilet Ninja goes to me...it really happened to me, sorta.**

 **Bonesboy15: Yeah, you go ahead and be the 'toilet' ninja. I'll just sit over here and keep being awesome 'regular' ninja.**

 **Engineer4Ever: They're everywhere!**

 **Bonesboy15: I know, I know. Alright readers, it's that magical time again!**

 **Y'all know what to do!**

 **Review!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: The Kross Kings do not own Naruto or My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic**

 **Why We Fall**

 **3: Scootaloo**

* * *

A few days had passed since Pinkie Pie had thrown Naruto and Applejack a welcoming party. The mare was embarrassed and very apologetic by the time Applejack managed to get Big Mac to admit he played a small prank on his sister and the hoof-hand. She'd thrown a 'Great Joke, Sorry Applejack!' party the night it was all cleared up. And, surprisingly, Big Mac had fallen victim to many mysterious pranks. The latest was by far the most outlandish.

"Pinkie Pie, I'm all for your pranks, but isn't _that_ a bit much?" Rainbow Dash asked, pointing at the giant inflated picture of Big Mac's flank that hung from the clock tower. Around the stallion's cutie mark were three words "Big Red Ass" and a tag on the side said, "Won't some pretty pony come kiss it better?"

The pink-coated mare was holding her sides, dying of laughter. Likewise, Applejack took great pleasure in seeing her brother becoming the fool. Rarity was a bit annoyed, since it was a crude prank with a foul word included, but admitted it was a necessity for the horrid prank the red stallion pulled. The party pony calmed herself down and wiped a tear out of her eye.

"B-But it's not me! Even though some of them were really, really good!" Pinkie Pie nodded, she looked at the picture and snickered again. She cleared her throat when Rarity gave her a disdainful look. "I-I mean, not that one, of course it wasn't me, but the rest I _wish_ I'd done. They were all so spontaneous! And everyone, even Big Mac, laughed."

"But, you're prank master supreme," Applejack said. "Ain't ya?"

Pinkie Pie paused and her eyes widened. She got to her hoofs in a second, a determined frown on her face. "I must defend my title, to the Pinkie Cave!"

Her hair turned into a drill and she disappeared underground, a cackle echoing behind her.

"...That's still weird." Rainbow Dash claimed.

"Eyup."

"It's not normal. At all."

The three mares looked up as the two stallions joined them in the square. Big Mac stared at the picture and then looked at Naruto, who was admiring the work with a tilted head.

"...Yer despicable."

"Wha-Mac, that hurts." The orange-coated stallion put a hoof on his chest and pouted at the red male. "To accuse me of doing something so-so-so slanderous to you whose let me into your home, work your farm and eat your food! I would never-!"

"Ah found the negatives, Root."

"...Okay, yeah, it was me." Naruto admitted with a grin. Big Mac glowered while Naruto looked at his flank. "Honestly, though, I don't think I needed to blow it up. That's a lot of canvas to work with as is."

"Ya did what?" Applejack asked, both she and Rarity giving the stallion looks of disbelief. Rarity even looked a tad crestfallen at the news.

"I totally pranked him, Applejack." Naruto beamed and placed his hoof on his chest once more. "It's always been a hobby of mine."

"Nice one, bro." Rainbow Dash said with an offered hoof. Naruto returned the gesture and then looked back at his masterpiece that was slowly but surely being taken down by a few pegasi. A little smile made its way on her face. "You know, Pinkie's going to challenge you now, right?"

"I'd like to see her try! I am the Prank King! I've not been dethroned ever since I was crowned back when I was but a colt!" The stallion said with great pride. He shrugged. "Besides, it's not like she can do anything that'll really ruffle me. We met, like, two days ago."

"Repress," Rarity said. Naruto went stock still.

" _Repress_."

"I knew Pinkie was the cause of it." The white unicorn giggled as the stallion zoned out for a moment. So, he was a bit uncouth and childish, but no pony was perfect.

Naruto shook himself out of the daze and gave Rarity a small frown, almost a pout. "That's not funny."

"Ah thought it was funny." Big Mac's baritone voice rumbled.

"No one asked you, Mac." Naruto grumbled. He looked back at the clocktower as the clock's face was revealed and blinked. "Huh, look at the time. Isn't it time for Applebloom to head home?"

"...Aw, shoot. Ah knew Ah was forgettin' something." Applejack swore. She looked over at the stand and then at Big Mac, who had been noticed by the mayor.

"Mister Apple!"

"...Root…" Macintosh looked to the hired-hoof, only to find an orange balloon floating in his place, a note taped to the string. Rainbow Dash grabbed it and cleared her throat.

"'No worries, I'll get her.'" She looked at the Apple siblings and smiled. "Well, aren't you happy I sent him your way, now?"

"...No." Big Mac grumbled and Applejack deadpanned, there was a light coloring to the latter's cheeks. She'd had found it slightly difficult to adjust to another stallion, who wasn't her kin, living in her house and using her family's bath. She always, _always_ walked in at the wrong time. Applejack wanted to blame it all on Granny Smith, who nine times out of ten told her that the bathroom was free, but she was an honest mare and knew that at least one of those ten times it was her own fault for being too accustomed to just the four Apples on the farm.

"Well, since you two seem to be busy, I need to get back to the Boutique. I'm almost finished with my last project of the week and then I can _finally_ fix that dreadful mistake I made," Rarity said with a wave of her hoof. "Ciao!"

"And I've got some napping-er, I mean, cloud cleaning to catch up on. Later, AJ. See ya around, _Bra_." Rainbow Dash snickered to herself before she flew off.

* * *

Naruto hummed as he made his way to the schoolhouse for the colts and fillies that lived in Ponyville. It was the first time he went there, but after asking for some directions from that kind Doctor Hooves, he was on his merry way. Naruto trotted up the road to the schoolhouse with a small smile on his face.

The bell atop the school rang, the foals ran out from the tort-education facility. As parents or family greeted their respective foals, Naruto felt his leg tackled by a yellow missile. He took a step back to recover his balance, but chuckled when he looked down and saw two excited hazel eyes looking up at him.

"Hi, Mister Naruto!" Applebloom greeted him with a smile. "Whatcha doin' here?"

"Hello Applebloom." Naruto smiled back down at the filly while she let go of his leg. "Applejack had to work and Mac got himself in trouble with Mayor Mare."

"Ah always knew the lawn get him someday." Applebloom sighed and shook her head.

"I think you mean 'law'," Naruto said with an amused chuckle.

"Yeah, that!"

"Applebloom, who are you talking to...?" A pretty dark pink Earth pony trailed off when Naruto and Applebloom looked at her.

"Oh! Miss Cheerilee!" Applebloom smiled widely. She trotted up to her teacher with a smile and pointed at the whiskered stallion. "This is Mister Naruto, he's helping us out at Sweet Apple Acres til Rarity lets him leave...though sis says that she probably never will."

"It's once she finishes fixing my bag." Naruto told the filly. He looked up and gave a small smile to the schoolteacher. "Nice to meet you, Miss. Like the little bundle told you, I'm Naruto."

"I, yes, well, it's always nice to see a new face here in Ponyville." The teacher smiled kindly at him. "Thank you for picking up Applebloom. Send my best to the Apples."

"Will do." Naruto nodded. The teacher walked off and he poked Applebloom in her side. "C'mon, let's head home."

"Can Ah ride on your back?" Applebloom asked.

"What, do you want me to go fast again?" Naruto asked with a grin. He'd raced across the fields with the youngest Apple on his back. She thought it was the most thrilling thing in her life.

"Yeah!" The excitable filly jumped up and down.

"Well, if you really want to, I guess we can."

"Yay!" Applebloom cheered as Naruto knelt down to let her jump on his back. Once the yellow filly was situated, Naruto rose to his full height and turned around.

Just before he was about to start his gallop, he paused. Seated off at the side, just under a shaded tree, was a little filly. She was gamboge-coated, fuchsia-maned pegasus, and her wings looked a bit smaller than average. Her head was hung and the look on her face was very familiar.

It was a look that he'd seen plenty of times on his own face when he was a colt.

A look of loneliness.

Naruto looked over his shoulder at Applebloom. "One second, okay? Gotta talk to your teacher."

"Ya ain't gonna ask about my grades, are ya?" The filly asked.

"No," Naruto said slowly. He narrowed his eyes. "...Should I?"

"No!" Applebloom squeaked. "Er, Ah mean, there ain't no reason t' worry about em."

"Well, when you put it that way you have a point. I guess I won't." Applebloom sighed out in relief. His next words, and the small smile he had on his face, made the little filly gulp. "This time."

Applebloom laughed nervously and let out a sigh once the stallion pulled his attention off of her. She'd dodged a flying mud pie just now.

Naruto trotted over to Cheerilee with a slightly relieved, slightly paranoid Applebloom in tow. The schoolteacher heard the clop of his hooves and turned towards him, slightly surprised.

"Oh! Mr. Naruto," she said with a smile. Her eyes wandered to the filly on his back. "Did Applebloom forget something?"

"Ah ain't that forgetful, Miss Cheerilee!" Applebloom protested with a pout.

"Oh really?" A dubious brow rose on the mare's face. "Then do you mind telling me what happened to your homework for today?"

"...Ah'll just be quiet." Applebloom mumbled while Cheerilee smiled in amusement.

Naruto missed their byplay, too busy with reliving some unpleasant memories at seeing the distraught filly. He looked at the schoolteacher and asked, "Is everything okay with that pegasus filly?"

"You mean Scootaloo?" Cheerilee asked as she followed his line of sight. She let out a breath and a small frown replaced the smile that was on her face. "Her foal-sitter hasn't shown up at all. Once everyone's gone, I'm going to take her home. Nothing to worry about."

"This doesn't sound like anything new." Naruto frowned, which made Cheerilee grimace.

"Well, I can't say this is the first time it's happened."

 _I was afraid you'd say that._ "...I could take her home," Naruto said. The teacher and the filly on his back gave him surprised looks. "It'll save you some time, and really, I've got nothing better to do."

Cheerilee shook her head. "Oh, I couldn't do that. It's my job as her teacher to do so."

The whiskered stallion couldn't help but think of his own teacher back in school. A smile graced his face. "Heh, it's no trouble. Even teachers need a break every once in awhile."

Cheerilee bit her bottom lip. "I don't know."

Nudging her shoulder with his, he said, "C'mon, she and Applebloom can hang out while I watch them."

"Well, frienship _is_ magic." Cheerilee mumbled to herself. She finally nodded after a moment of thought. "Let me just get her address for you so you can leave her parents a note."

"Much obliged." Naruto nodded gratefully. He got a small jab in the shoulder and looked back at the filly using him as a ride.

"What?" He asked.

"This ain't one of Granny Smith's dramas, Romeo." Applebloom whispered with a small smile on her face.

"...How do you even know who-?" Naruto asked her, but shook his head. "Forget I asked. I don't want to know."

"And here it is." Cheerilee said, the address written down on a piece of paper. "Let's go talk to Scootaloo."

The trio made their way over to the pegasus, who looked up at their arrival, confused.

"Hello, Scootaloo." The teacher said with a big smile.

"Hi, Miss Cheerilee," the filly, Scootaloo, said softly. With a hoof gestured towards Naruto, Cheerilee continued.

"Scootaloo, this is Mr. Naruto," she said. The teacher smiled as her eyes drifted to the passenger on the stallion's back. "And you know Applebloom from class, of course."

"Hi Scootaloo!" Applebloom waved from Naruto's back.

"Hi Applebloom." Scootaloo waved back shyly and looked at the big orange stallion curiously. "I've never seen you before."

The stallion chuckled and gave her a small smile. "Yes, I've been getting that a lot lately."

"Mr. Naruto works on Sweet Apple Acres with the rest of Applebloom's family. He's been kind enough to offer to take you along with him and Applebloom. That sounds fun, right?" Cheerilee asked. The filly blinked and slowly nodded.

"I guess so." The filly muttered.

"C'mon, we'll get some ice cream on the way." Naruto promised. His words brought a small smile to Scootaloo's face and made Applebloom cheer.

"Yes! And before dinner, too!"

"Just don't tell Applejack or Mac," Naruto said to the filly on his back.

"Please, like ah would." Applebloom scoffed. She'd sooner tell them about her poor grades than tell them she got treated to ice cream before dinner.

"Can we get triple chocolate fudge?" Scootaloo asked quietly. Naruto glanced down at her and scoffed. Her eyes fell, but then shot back up when he spoke.

"Please, we're getting quadruple chocolate fudge dipped in hot chocolate syrup."

"...Mister, you might be new in town, but we speak the same language." Scootaloo smiled at the grinning stallion.

"I figured that might be the case." Naruto chuckled.

"Well, it sounds like you three are going to have a lot of fun!" Cheerilee tittered. She smiled at Scootaloo. "I hope you have a nice evening, Scootaloo."

"Thanks, Miss Cheerilee," Scootaloo said with a small smile. She looked back up at the orange stallion when he leaned down once more.

"Hop on," he said. "There's no time to waste, we have ice cream to eat!"

"Aw, yeah!" Scootaloo cheered as she hopped onto the whiskered stallion's back and sat down behind Applebloom. The stallion got back to his feet and reared back on his hind legs with a whinny. The fillies laughed, it felt like they were in one of the early morning's oldie shows.

"Hi-ho, Mister Naruto, away!" Applebloom cheered before they shot off down the hill with the stallion's thundering gallop.

Cheerilee waited until they were far out of sight and then she fanned her face with her hoof. Celestia save her, that stallion was very good with foals and he wasn't too bad on the eyes, either. With those two features going for him, it was no wonder that he was the current buzz of the town's gossip.

* * *

Naruto watched Applebloom and Scootaloo roll across the floor of the Apples' living room, playfully wrestling with each other, from where he was seated on the couch beside the amused Granny Smith. After being treated to two scoops of ice-cream each, and getting a healthy third scoop for himself, the two fillies became filled to the brim with energy and hadn't stopped for a break in hours. During their play, Naruto watched Scootaloo come out of her funk little by little and each laugh made him smile.

"AJ's gon' tan yer hide, sonny." Granny Smith chuckled and lifted a hoof before Applebloom rolled into her leg. The yellow filly shook off her daze and then charged at the pegasus with a war cry.

"How I was supposed to know foals react like this to sugar?" Naruto said, a completely innocent look in his eyes. It was ruined by the smile that threatened to spread across his face. "I still have much to learn."

"Oh, yer good, but Applejack can sniff out a lie like a worm can avoid a rotten apple in an orchard." The wise pony warned. The stallion shrugged.

"I like to live dangerously," Naruto said with a wave of his hoof. He stuck his tail out and curled it to catch the thrown pegasus filly that nearly shot through the window. Blue eyes glanced at the gamboge filly. "I don't know what the rules are at your house, but here, we have hooves on the ground during roughhousing."

"Sorry, bro!" The sugar-powered filly apologized before she pushed off of Naruto's tail and leapt at Applebloom. "Beware the Super Power Peg!"

Naruto shook his head in bemusement. Foals were always a handful, hyperactive or not. He almost got up when the two rolled into the kitchen and a large crash followed.

He then laughed when two simultaneous voices called out: "We're okay!"

"Applebloom, y'all better keep yer playtime out of mah kitchen!" Granny Smith warned her youngest granddaughter. The two fillies raced out of the kitchen like their flanks had caught fire and then stood across from each other.

"That game's getting boring. What should we do now?" Applebloom asked.

"Uhh...Oh! Hide-n-Seek?" Scootaloo suggested.

"Naw, we played that when we got home." The two began to pace back and forth. Naruto watched them in disbelief when they settled on tag. That was pretty much what they were doing before they stopped.

"Ah love foals, they're always so ready to be active," Granny Smith said with a smile. She slowly got up and made her way to the kitchen. "Soup'll be on in a few, Naruto."

"I'll let the fillies know -" Crash. "...and make sure they didn't break anything," Naruto said thoughtfully ask the two fillies ran out from the room they had rushed into moments before.

"What in tarnation is goin' on?! Why are these fillies bouncin' 'round like they're possessed!" Applejack asked as she entered with a flustered Big Mac and a pair of pegasi. One was a fuchsia maned stallion with green eyes and a mustard-yellow coat, and the other was a white-maned mare with a light red coat.

"Mom! Dad!" Scootaloo said as she ran up to the pegasi, now known to be her parents. Both winged ponies greeted her with a smile and a hug.

"Hello sweetie. We saw the note at home and came by to pick you up," Her mother said as she nuzzled her filly's cheek.

"Aww, do I have to go?" The little pegasus whined, her head slouched. "Can't I stay a little longer…?"

"Sorry, Scoots, it's almost dinner time. And it's a school day tomorrow." Her father told her. He looked away from the frowning filly to smile at Naruto, who'd risen from his seat when the door opened. "Thank you for picking her up, sir. I'm Scooter and this is my wife, Rosie-lou."

"Just Naruto, please. And it's no problem. I was just doing what any neighborly pony would've done," Naruto said with a wave of his hoof. He put his hoof down and pursed his lips thoughtfully. "But you might want to have a word with your sitter."

"Oh, we will, trust me." Scooter frowned. He was obviously not pleased with the sitter blowing them off.

"It was a pleasure meeting you," Rosie-lou said with a brilliant smile before she looked at her downtrodden daughter. "Say goodbye to your friend and Mr. Naruto, Scootaloo."

"Bye Applebloom. Bye Bro." Scootaloo sadly bid them farewell as she followed her parents towards the gate of the farm.

"See ya at school tomorrow!" Applebloom waved happily from the doorstep before she sped back into the house.

"Good-bye, Scootaloo." Naruto smiled gently before he closed the door and turned around. Just in time to have two green eyes glower at him.

"So, d'ya mind explainin' why this place looks like it was hit by a twister?" Applejack asked the hired-hoof. Naruto blinked and then shrugged.

"Foals and sugar don't mix well, who knew?"

Big Mac chuckled, but a pointed look from his sister made him shut his mouth. Didn't do anything to the small smile that was on his face though. Applejack rubbed her face and groaned.

"Well, Ah hope yer happy," she said. "She's gunna be up all night now, she's wound up more than a toy at the dollar store."

"Nah, she'll crash after dinner." Naruto brushed off.

"An' if she doesn't?" Applejack countered with narrowed eyes.

"...Oh, look at that, Scootaloo forgot her bag. I'll just go take this to her real quick. Soup should be on soon, later!" Naruto quickly grabbed the pegasus' discarded saddlebag and rushed out the door. Applejack was left speechless and Big Mac let out another chuckle.

"...Did he jus'-?"

"Eeyup."

"...Ah'm gunna tan his hi-" There was a crash from down the hall and the two elder Apple siblings shared a look before the stetson wearing mare galloped towards the bedrooms. "Applebloom, y'all best not be gettin' in my room!"

* * *

"Oh, you didn't have to bring that," Rosie-lou said to the stallion that caught up to them and gave her daughter her bag. The gamboge filly had the bag slung over her back.

"I'm sure she's got homework, so I think she might need it." The young stallion and the parents chuckled when Scootaloo whined.

"Aw, Bro, don't tell them that." The filly pouted up at the orange stallion.

"Sorry, Squirt-aloo," Naruto said, ruffling her mane with a hoof. "Welcome to the way of the world."

The filly glowered at him. "That name better not stick!"

"Meh, it's a work in progress." Naruto teased her. "Maybe I'll just call you 'Shrimp'."

"Not cool, Bro." Scootaloo grumbled, but a hint of a smile tugged at her lips. The parents shared a smile at the interaction before Rosie-lou led Scootaloo on. Scooter lingered for a moment and looked at the younger stallion.

"Thank you again for all you've done, Mr. Naruto." The pegasus stallion nodded with a small smile. "Really, you don't know how much it means to us that someone was looking out for Scootaloo."

"Just Naruto, please. And like I said before, it was no problem. Scootaloo's a good foal." Naruto smiled at the father, who returned it. The orange stallion then frowned slightly. "If I may, sir, why did you need a sitter in the first place?"

"Well," Scooter began apologetically. "Raising a filly isn't easy when bills pile up. We both have demanding jobs at the weather plant so we aren't always home. Tonight was one such case. Our usual sitter's been starting this habit of hers for quite a while." Scooter hung his head. "I don't know who to turn to. All of our family is in Cloudsdale and...well, it's complicated."

"I won't pry. I know when secrets should remain secret, especially family issues." Naruto smiled in understanding. He hummed in thought. "If you want, I could watch her. No cost necessary."

"But what about the Apples?" Scooter asked. "We wouldn't want to impose."

"I really don't mind, honest. The Apples are ahead of their usual schedule with the extra hoof so they've been letting me just explore the town...which I did in, like, a day…" He gave his fellow stallion a sheepish smile. "I've been a little bored lately. Something like a filly to watch would make my days a bit faster."

"...If you're really sure-" Scooter started.

"Believe me, I'm sure." Naruto chuckled. He nodded back towards the Apple's house. "Besides, I might've pranked them one too many times today by letting their sister get hopped up on sugar."

"...So you're using us as an excuse to escape?" Scooter asked with a smile tugging at his lips.

"Well, when you put it like that, I sound like a terrible pony."

Scooter just laughed and nodded towards his wife and filly. "C'mon, you can eat with us tonight as thanks."

"Oh, no, I wouldn't want to intrude-"

"Please, I insist."

"...Okay. But if your wife asks, you talked me into it after a long debate."

"Agreed."

* * *

"Man, that was a fantastic pasta, Rosie-Lou." Naruto sighed as he sat back and rubbed his full stomach. "I think it's possibly the best meal I've had during my whole stay here in Ponyville."

"Don't say that to Granny Smith, she might become heartbroken." Rosie-lou said as she gathered up the dishes. Naruto picked his plate up with his tail, a feat that impressed the three pegasi, and carried it to the kitchen. "Just place that on the counter, I'll get it."

"If you say so." Naruto shrugged before he returned to the table and sat down with Scooter and Scootaloo. He looked at the stallion of the house. "Would you like to broach the subject or should I?"

"Broach the wha?" Scootaloo asked quizzically. Her father and their guest chuckled.

"He means to ask if I wanted to bring up a topic," Scooter informed his filly with a smile. A hoof gently poked the small pegasus in the head. "Something you would understand if you stopped reading all of those comic books."

"Whoa, hey, now, don't start ragging on comic books." Naruto warned playfully. He put a hoof on his chest. "I'll have you know that I learned how to be as awesome as I am with those wondrous works of art and literature!"

"...This deal is starting to look worse the more time we spend together." Scooter drawled playfully.

"What deal, dear?" Rosie-lou asked as she looked over at the table.

"Well, while you and Scootaloo were preparing dinner, Naruto and I've been talking," Scooter began. He glanced at the other stallion, who gestured for him to continue. With a nod, Scooter looked at his daughter. "And, while some kinks may need to be worked out, we've come to an agreement. Scootaloo, meet your new foal-sitter."

Scootaloo looked stunned, her eyes wide until she smiled brightly. "That... is... awesome!"

"See? Told you she'd be all over it." Naruto chuckled. He leaned over to the father and stage-whispered. "All I had to do was bribe her with ice cream."

"Yeah, that sounds about right." Scooter chuckled. He looked at his amused wife and arched a brow. She tilted her head in thought and then nodded.

"Foals these days, give them sugar and they'd eat out of your hoof." Rosie-Lou tittered. She set the last dish in the cleaning rack and then joined the others at the table. "So, Miste-Er, Naruto, when do you think you'll need to head back?"

The mother mare's eyes drifted to her chattering daughter, who'd ensnared her father with a story about her day, before they met the whiskered stallion's amused blue.

"Well, that really depends on Applejack and her ability to take a joke." At the mother's confused look, Naruto elaborated. "I sort of left her and Big Mack to deal with the sugar-crazed Applebloom."

"...I'll get a pillow and blanket for you to borrow." Rosie-lou decided with a small laugh as she left the room. Naruto furrowed his brow.

"No, that's not necessary. I couldn-"

"Trust me, son, an Apple doesn't forgive and forget so easily." Scooter said as he put a hoof on Naruto's shoulder. "You'll be staying here a while. For your own sake."

"Sleepover, yay!" Scootaloo cheered with her hooves in the air. She darted around the table and grabbed Naruto's hoof to pull him out of the room, chattering a mile a minute. Scooter shook his head in amusement.

Things were starting to turn around for his little filly.

* * *

 **E4E: So, Scoots has got some background from the last fic, we made up her parents too.**

 **Bonesboy15: ...Well, technically we didn't make them up, we just gave them names and features. They already exist, just not in a physical form. That's just the philosophical aspect of it all...or is that the theoretical physics?**

 **E4E: Oh mighty Alicorn Faust, please do not smite us...with your followers.**

 **Bonesboy15: We have cookies...of defense! Fear the cookie ninjas, fear them!**

 **Before we may be destroyed, help us out.**

 **Review!**


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